The Delhi High Court has allowed the Jammu and Kashmir MP from Baramulla to attend the ongoing Parliament Budget Session. However, the court added that Rashid will have to attend these sessions while "in custody".
The matter was heard by a bench of Justices Chandra Dhari Singh and Anup Jairam Bhambhani. In its ruling, the High Court said the police officials will escort Engineer Rashid to Parliament and bring him back to jail on all days between March 26 to April 4, 2025.
The bench added that Rashid will not be allowed to use mobile phones, landline, or interact with the media while he is out of jail.
"At the Parliament House, the appellant shall be handed-over to the custody of Parliament security/marshals, who shall allow the appellant to attend the proceedings of the Lok Sabha and to avail other facilities and amenities within the Parliament House during the hours that the Lok Sabha is in session; and shall thereafter hand-back custody of the appellant to the prison escort, who will bring him back to prison straight from the Parliament House, on the same day, without any delay,” the Court was quoted as saying by LiveLaw.
On Tuesday, the High Court hinted at granting permission to Rashid after the counsel appearing for Engineer Rashid stated that he was not asking for interim bail but simply asking permission to attend the Lok Sabha proceedings.
Rashid was arrested by the NIA in 2019 in relation to a 2017 terror funding case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). He moved the Delhi HC and challenged a March 10 trial court order which refusing him custody parole or interim bail to attend Lok Sabha proceedings till April 4.
